The 34th Can Am 7's is Saturday July 14

Ferndale Polo Club Grounds again hosts this great event. OPSB will be at this tournament and at the Victoria 7's as well.

Here is the recap from the 2011 Final.

The 33rd Annual Can-Am Summer 7's Results

OPSB Exacts Revenge in Can-Ams

Somehow and some way through all the pool play and the playoffs, the 33rd Annual Can-Am 7s in Bellingham, Wash., managed to create the perfect ending to an international rivalry.

Last year Valley High (Canada) managed a 20-17 triumph over Old Puget Sound Beach (USA). This year, the matchup was the same, but the outcome much more different as OPSB beat up Valley High 54-21 to bring the Can-Am trophy back to the States.

As the teams took the pitch, OPSB had the same look of determination they had in their four dominant victories from before. And from the start of the game, OPSB took control.

On the opening kickoff, Filimoni Botitu continued his clinic by finding the smallest crease in the Valley High defense and outrunning everyone in a black jersey for a quick score. Back Tim Stanfill (just over from Central Washington University) once again showed his speed by faking out a defender and getting up the sideline for his own score. OPSB then stole the ball from a ruck and got the ball into the hands of Botitu. He looked at the defense and with nothing more than a quick stutter step made something out of nothing. Before the Valley defenders knew what had happened was in for his second score of the day.

Valley High managed a score just before late in the first half on a penalty try awarded from an OPSB high tackle. Nevertheless, another score by Stanfill off a switch play from Botitu saw OPSB up at the half, 26-7.

Valley High scored early in the second half on a Sean Ferguson score to cut the lead to 26-14. Botitu yet again stutter-stepped the defense, froze three defenders and took it in for his third score of the match. Valley High countered with a Beau Parker score to get within 12 at 33-21. However, that’s as close as they would get. Isimeli Daveta put OPSB back on the board three more times, one with a high kick past the Valley High defense, and twice outpacing defenders out wide.

With the final whistle, OPSB left the pitch having outscored opponents by a combined score of 249-35.

“Valley High are like our kryptonite and for us to break that feels good,” OPSB head coach Evan Haigh said. “Played great rugby today and was proud of the boys.”

“This game was very important to us and it was critical to get out to a good start, especially in that first minute,” Daveta said. “We had great defense and great communication all our games and that was very critical for us today.”

“The competition was tough today and I just wanted to do my best for the team,” Botitu said. “Last year we didn’t do and this year we played well as a team and that’s a credit to our coaching staff.”

The Women’s division saw the Seattle Breakers down the Emerald City Mudhens 13-5. Their victory qualified them for the US Women’s 7’s playoffs.

In the Social Division OPSB III beat the Summer Swingers, a group of Chuckanut players 32-19 while another local team of Chuckanut Bay and Western Washington players, the NW Trees took third spot. The Huna Hoggs made it to the semis with a 2-1 record but elected to forfeit their next match and finish the day hydrating in the “Heineken” beer garden.